Mouryou no Hako

[NakedAngelX]

I'm kind of hoping for it to be like ghost hunt,
gonna watch it now, let's just see how creepy it is

[Matrim]

I thought it was extremely good.

Noticing how few replies this thread has, I was a bit afraid I might be the first to say that.
I usually mostly skim the raws in a few minutes but this time it enthralled me enough to watch all of the first episode. If the plot is anywhere near as engrossing as the atmosphere of the anime this might be a winner. And visually it's pretty damn good looking indeed, the character designs are thankfull spared the worst of CLAMP"s deformities that plague certain other series. Maybe if the subbers realise there is no need for everyone to sub tales of the Abyss, someone might sub this one instead. I would like to some day see what exactly was all that talk about killing, dying and being reborn was all about.
That said, I suspect a lot of viewers will brand the series as too angsty or "emo". Let's see if the second episode will be more about an actual detective investigation.

[Sakuya]

Originally Posted by Matrim

That said, I suspect a lot of viewers will brand the series as too angsty or "emo". Let's see if the second episode will be more about an actual detective investigation.

Yes, and that's exactly why I'm so excited about this! The designs for this first episode looks awesome. Can't wait for the subs. While reading a blog's synopsis on this, it occurred to me I have skimmed through the raw manga for this first chapter. Probably the reason I didn't remember much of it was because the manga's title was actually "Comic Kwai Vol.1" with Mouryou no Hako as the subheading. Was pretty confused if it was a manga anthology or if it was a tankouban... Anyway, the story was pretty strange and creepy there too.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Matrim

Maybe if the subbers realise there is no need for everyone to sub tales of the Abyss, someone might sub this one instead.

This is the only other fall show I've anticipated besides Nodame. According to the fansub wiki, the only sub groups to have signed on so far are AnimeYoshi and perhaps a joint between Anime Club Generation & AnimeCrazy.net. Like you I'm stumped why so many groups felt compelled to sub Abyss. You'd think a series involving Madhouse and CLAMP would attract more attention than this show has gotten so far. Having Kuwashima Houko in the cast is another big plus for me.

[Coruja]

I have yet to watch it (I'm waiting for a subbed version...), but I have to say that I loved the opening/ending animations, somehow the whole thing reminded me of Death Note, in a good way.

[Meirin]

Originally Posted by Matrim

Maybe if the subbers realise there is no need for everyone to sub tales of the Abyss, someone might sub this one instead.

We can only hope. There is probably a greater degree of difficulty in translating this series than some of the other anime this season. Some knowledge of Japanese history and literature and quite a bit of additional research would be required. I'm watching Chinese subs for now but am highly anticipating AnimeYoshi's effort.

Ep 1 thoughts:
Marimite + mystery + dancing + BAD END = Mouryou no Hako?

I thought it was a very good first episode, with smooth pacing and an interesting atmosphere. Hints of Code Geass's ugly down-turned mouths remained, but overall the character design is quite pleasing. The voice-acting was excellent, Tomatsu Haruka is definitely the seiyuu to watch for this season. I hope this is one series that'll start gently and slowly draws the audience into its mystery, episode by episode, until we're perched at the edge of our seats desperate for more clues or a resolution.

Spoiler for episode one spoilers:

Could the head in the box belong to Yoriko? I think it's probably a different victim, as the hairstyle and eyes are rather different. I did not expect it to start singing...

Yoriko seems to be rather prone to hallucinations: the doll, her mother at the paper screen. I wonder how much of the rather surreal dancing-in-the-moonlight sequence actually took place. But then again, lots of anime characters have been randomly breaking into dance recently (see Antique Bakery).

This series is definitely giving off Oniisama e... vibes. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the detective quartet will become involved with the case.

[Marina Ismail]

I didn't find it angsty or emo.. I just found it boring and I only watched it because from anidb it said it was about them finding out about the mass murder of school girls... and what I got from the first ep is um.... I don't know what to say...

Spoiler for well...:

some weirdo girl choking her friend and then going "lawl jking, jking!" and then some yurish (to me...) scenes and then all of a sudden she jumps in front of the train I guess? Ya.. not a series for me. :S

[orion]

Originally Posted by Marina Ismail

I didn't find it angsty or emo.. I just found it boring and I only watched it because from anidb it said it was about them finding out about the mass murder of school girls... and what I got from the first ep is um.... I don't know what to say...

Spoiler for well...:

some weirdo girl choking her friend and then going "lawl jking, jking!" and then some yurish (to me...) scenes and then all of a sudden she jumps in front of the train I guess? Ya.. not a series for me. :S

Maybe it's tied into what's about to happen. Those girls are in the OP and ED so they are prob very important.

Just gotta hang in there.

[asrielchase]

the two girls will indeed tie into what's going to happen. the whole story is consisting of up to 3 - 4 events , and kanoko getting hit by the train is merely the beginning..

[sapphire-pyro]

There's already a script of this out, and a fansub group said that they'll be using it and will be releasing the subbed video soon xD

I'm not fond of shoujo-ai stuff x_x but I'm very interested on the guys in the main cast *_* Have they actually appeared aside from the OP? I only see the two grils from the screenshots x_x

[killbethy]

I desperately want to see this show, so fingers crossed on someone subbing it. As soon as I saw the genre, studio, and character designs I was sold.

[monir]

I just watched episode 1 with the .ass file. Good translation by Yesy. Formula made the .ass script. Looks like Formula will do the same in the future so imaptient folks can watch the sub with a RAW file. More information on Formula's website.

The thread is now moved to the fansubbed section.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by sapphire-pyro

...I'm not fond of shoujo-ai stuff x_x but I'm very interested on the guys in the main cast *_* Have they actually appeared aside from the OP?....

Yes, they are starting to appear in ep2, which was also really good, for me.

Spoiler for ep2:

The scene in the car seemed long to me, but I didn't understand all that was said, so that would make a difference in my enjoyment. The complexities of the relations among the characters seems interesting, and some of the acting is very good. I especially admired Takahashi Mikako as Yoriko.

Some of the animation is horrible: at one point, a pocket was jumping around on a guy's jacket. But some is excellent: I loved the scenes of the car travelling through the countryside.

[pparker]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

Nishida Asako (the anime character designer, who did Simoun, Touka Gettan, Vampire Knight) softened the Clamp-style character designs just enough.

Wow, this may be the hidden gem of the season. I guess I've seen everything else now except Michiko To Hatchin, and this has tremendous potential in comparison to the most-hyped series. I quoted above, because I happen to like CLAMP designs first of all (xxxHolic, Tsubasa Chronicle), but I like Touka Gettan (Nishida Asako working with Carnelian original designs) even better, so it makes sense why I would like the looks of this show.

Really, it's the first show I've seen in a long time that gave me that Yami to Bōshi to Hon no Tabibito/Touka Gettan feeling, which I love. The dense, opaque but aesthetic mystery that pulls you along despite not knowing where you are going, almost due to the art and characters alone. You're okay waiting to find out what happens, even if it takes months. (I say that knowing nothing about the source material, and obviously not wanting to). If this stays even close to its initial quality, it will be one of those niche classics that may never even reach R1, but will forever be rewatched and passed down by a devoted fan base.

[signorRossi]

This is definitely the show that made the best impression from the first episode to me from all the shows that started lately. Just the genre I was waiting for, I am somewhat satiated by shows that have girls with swords or Uzis and 'end of the world settings' .....

SignorRossi.

[Sakuya]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

Some of the animation is horrible: at one point, a pocket was jumping around on a guy's jacket. But some is excellent: I loved the scenes of the car travelling through the countryside.[/spoiler]

I just watched episode one and I love the characters. Every close-up of Kanako's face is just so perfect and elegant combined with the sakura petals! But I do agree (for in episode 1), the animation during the dance scene was pretty disappointing. When they zoom out to show the girls dancing in the moonlight that was okay but when it was close up of them dancing combined with this motion blur effect they used it was kind of weird.

[Slice of Life]

Oh, the lesbians-on-drugs archetype strikes again. Can't say I'm too happy about it. -_-

[signorRossi]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Oh, the lesbians-on-drugs archetype strikes again. Can't say I'm too happy about it. -_-

Lesbians on crutches, to be exact (at least one of them).
I am confident that that is only a first impression deriving from the fact that they depict a close (and mad for sure) relationship. Let's see if they provide us with mindless mystery or mystery with brains.

SignorRossi.

[Ashlotte]

Wow that was an extremely well animated first episode...Almost to the point of absurdity...I mean I like good eye candy, but that threatened to eclipse the plot itself for me.

Either way was a very intriguing first episode and I have not one single clue where this show is going to go from here, just the same though I find myelf extremely interested to find out...Guess I can't ever pass up a good mystery.

[aorta]

This series is the based on the second novel of the Kyōgokudō(京極堂) Series. The first novel, The Summer of the Ubume, is being released by Vertical in English on August 4th, 2009. So maybe they'll release the second novel also.